Norwalk stays perfect with win over Staples

Published 10:08 pm, Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Staples' Ethan Bradeen (18) and Norwalk's Alejandro Rivera (7) battle for control of the ball during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Staples' Ethan Bradeen (18) and Norwalk's Alejandro Rivera (7) battle for control of the ball during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Staples' Harry Birch (4) controls the ball during the boys soccer game against Norwalk at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Staples' Harry Birch (4) controls the ball during the boys soccer game against Norwalk at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Staples' Harry Birch (4) gets tangled up with Norwalk's Nacho Navarro (20) as they battle for control of the ball during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Staples' Harry Birch (4) gets tangled up with Norwalk's Nacho Navarro (20) as they battle for control of the ball during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Staples' Andrew Travers (11) wins the ball as Norwalk's Andrew Melitsanopoulos (13) and Paul Soja (13) defend during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Staples' Andrew Travers (11) wins the ball as Norwalk's Andrew Melitsanopoulos (13) and Paul Soja (13) defend during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Staples' Ethan Bradeen (18) controls the ball during the boys soccer game against Norwalk at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Staples' Ethan Bradeen (18) controls the ball during the boys soccer game against Norwalk at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Staples' Joe Greenwald (16) controls the ball during the boys soccer game against Norwalk at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Staples' Joe Greenwald (16) controls the ball during the boys soccer game against Norwalk at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Staples' Jack Scott (14) collides with Norwalk's Santiago Muriel (10) and Jose Canahui (6) during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Staples' Jack Scott (14) collides with Norwalk's Santiago Muriel (10) and Jose Canahui (6) during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Norwalk's Santiago Muriel (10) controls the ball as Staples' Diego Alanis (9) defends during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Norwalk's Santiago Muriel (10) controls the ball as Staples' Diego Alanis (9) defends during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Norwalk's Santiago Muriel (10) controls the ball as Staples' Diego Alanis (9) defends during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Norwalk's Santiago Muriel (10) controls the ball as Staples' Diego Alanis (9) defends during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Norwalk's Nacho Navarro (20) controls the ball as Staples' Diego Alanis (9) defends during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Norwalk's Nacho Navarro (20) controls the ball as Staples' Diego Alanis (9) defends during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Norwalk's Nacho Navarro (20) controls the ball as Staples' Diego Alanis (9) defends during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Norwalk's Nacho Navarro (20) controls the ball as Staples' Diego Alanis (9) defends during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Staples' Diego Alanis (9) goes up for a header as Norwalk's Alejandro Rivera (7) defends during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Staples' Diego Alanis (9) goes up for a header as Norwalk's Alejandro Rivera (7) defends during the boys soccer game at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Norwalk's Jose Canahui (6) controls the ball during the boys soccer game against Staples at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Norwalk's Jose Canahui (6) controls the ball during the boys soccer game against Staples at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Staples' boys soccer head coach Dan Woog on the sidelines during the boys soccer game against Norwalk at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Staples' boys soccer head coach Dan Woog on the sidelines during the boys soccer game against Norwalk at Norwalk High School's Testa Field on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.

Photo: Amy Mortensen

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Norwalk stays perfect with win over Staples

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NORWALK -- Just moments after Staples High became the latest in a long line of teams to fall to Norwalk this season, head coach Dan Woog echoed a sentiment that's surely on the mind of others around the FCIAC.

"They're fast, they're quick, they're strong, they're relentless. If there's a better team in the state, I don't want to see them," said Woog, following the Wreckers' 2-0 loss to Norwalk on Monday evening at Testa Field. "I have voted for them No. 1 and I will continue to do so."

Senior center midfielder Michal Nowicki scored with 13:27 left and Nacho Navarro added a goal just over four minutes later as Norwalk improved to 7-0 on the season.

"Staples really came at us and threw us off our rhythm a little bit. I'm just proud of the guys for sticking with the game plan and continuing to play our style of soccer, and know that eventually it would pay off," Norwalk head coach Chris Laughton said. "We had to wait a while to get those goals, but it was worth it in the end."

Norwalk remained patient, yet aggressive after a scoreless first half and finally broke through on a crisp touch pass from sophomore Jose Canahui to the left foot of Nowicki.

"Canahui made a great run forward, played a great ball through and I just finished," Nowicki said. "He did all the work. He deserves most of the credit."

Norwalk, which outshot Staples 8-4, doubled its lead with 7:44 on a failed clear. Navarro collected a ball near the top of the box and blasted a shot past goalkeeper James Hickok.

Staples fell to 3-3 on the season with the loss, but Woog credited his young team for competing step for step with Norwalk for 80 minutes.

"This was a huge step up for our guys. We started a number of underclassmen. ... They stepped up big time," Woog said. "They stepped up defensively, they stepped up physically. Most of them went 80 minutes.

"I couldn't be more prouder of my guys."

For Norwalk, junior goalkeeper Svet Kozak made two saves for the shutout.

"Our back line has been phenomenal this year," Laughton said. "Those guys have worked really well together. They take a lot of pride on shutting teams out. In the last few years we've been giving up a lot of goals and scoring a lot of goals. Our team's much more sound in the back than we've been."